The present invention is related to intermodal transportation, and more particularly to a system and method of controlling the transport of truck trailers over a railway system.
Conventional intermodal terminals have long delays in processing tractor-trailers into the rail yard for transport of the trailers via rail. Typically there is a bottleneck at the access point. As tractor-trailers arrive at the rail yard, they wait in line as each tractor-trailer is manually checked-in. The access point personnel records all of the transport information required for shipping, to include trailer (size, type, etc.), billing information, details regarding the shipment, such as destination, weight, commodity code, commodity description, package type, broker, actual shipper, actual consignee or the like. Each tractor-trailer is checked-in on a first come first serve basis and is not guaranteed a spot on a particular train. Due to the long delays at the access point truckers are required to wait sometimes for over an hour while transport vehicles ahead of them are checked-in and then another hour while they are checked-in. Once processed in the driver drops the trailer off in a designated area and departs, in most cases, without an assurance that the trailer will depart on the next train.
When picking up a trailer the driver again has to wait in a queue consisting of other pick-up and drop-off transports for check-in. Since the trucking companies who own the trailers are not assured transport on a particular train tractor-trailer drivers are often required to wait for the train which is transporting the trailer they are picking up to arrive. The time spent dropping off and picking up trailers becomes a waste of resources for both the trucking companies and the independent tractor-trailer drivers.
Once the trailers are checked-in and dropped-off they are ready to be loaded onto the trains. The process of loading and unloading trains with trailers is not only time-consuming but also labor intensive and costly. Conventional intermodal terminals are built to support cranes or other heavy lifting equipment used to lift the trailers onto rail cars. The infrastructure of the rail terminal is reinforced in order to support the weight of the crane or lifting equipment in operation. The crane or lifting equipment as well as the added infrastructure needed in order to operate the equipment is very costly. In addition, the process of lifting the trailers can easily damage the trailers as most trailers are not designed with lift capabilities and the stress of lifting the trailer weakens the structure of the trailer. Often the trailers are damaged beyond repair after just two lifts.
In addition to damage from lifting, trailers incur damage during transport due to poor suspension of rail cars and the amount of slack between rail cars. Traditionally rail cars have little to no suspension and causes damage to cargo. With little or no shock absorption, cargo and rail car structures are basically absorbing the energy transmitted from the constant movement on the rails. In addition, the slack between rail cars allows a significant amount of movement between rail cars in particular when negotiating curves. The movement due to slack causes the trailers to xe2x80x9cswayxe2x80x9d on the rail cars and produces additional stress on the trailer structure. As a result of the lack of suspension and the design of current rail cars transportation of trailers via rail results in significant costs due to trailer repair and cargo damage. What is needed is an efficient way to transport trailers via rail without expensive equipment and damage to the trailers and cargo.
After arrival at a terminal, the trains are separated into several sections while being moved onto several parallel tracks. Each section that the train is separated into is placed on one of the several parallel tracks. The process of unhooking train sections from one another and then either pulling or pushing each section onto parallel tracks is time consuming. The trains are then unloaded and loaded in piggyback fashion, only being able to work on alternating parallel tracks at the same time. In order to load and unload the trains in a timely fashion several cranes or other heavy lifting equipment are required. The trailers are then moved to a parking or storage area using moving equipment such as hostlers. The need for heaving lifting equipment, moving equipment, several parallel tracks with a reinforced surface to support the heavy equipment is a substantial investment, which drives up the cost of intermodal transportation significantly. What is needed is a simple inexpensive means to provide intermodal transportation.
Once the unloading is finished and the trailers are moved to an area for pick-up or storage the train is loaded for the next trip. Similar to unloading the lifting equipment and a plurality of crews are employed to load up the train. A significant amount of time is spent loading up the train and then hooking the parallel sections together to form one long train. In order to load or unload several trains at a time the number of tracks increases for each train. For example if each track section can accommodate 15 rail cars then a typical train which transports 60 rail cars requires 4 parallel tracks and each additional train also requires 4 parallel tracks.
The logistics of loading and unloading, for example, four separate trains on sixteen separate tracks is complex. Personnel must make sure the correct sections are on appropriate tracks to assist in optimizing transport to the next destination or pick-up and drop-off. Trains arriving to be loaded and/or unloaded may have to take their place in the queue before dropping rail car sections onto each designated track. The process may also cause logistics problems with other trains using the main rail. For instance, a train using the main rail may be held up waiting for the intermodal train or trains to clear the main line. Or the terminal can be designed with additional rail lines to accommodate the queue of intermodal trains. Such an approach, however, requires additional construction and maintenance and can waste valuable real estate.
Once the rail cars are all loaded the railcars are again tied up hooking the train back together. Currently, the process of hooking the train together involves a number of railway personnel to provide switching for each of the train sections, spotters to insure the train is properly hooked together and engine crew to move the train engine as required. The equipment, land, trained personnel and infrastructure are extremely expensive and these costs drive up the cost of transporting trailers via rail making it an unattractive option for the trucking industry in the short to medium haul arena. In addition, the unreliability of the trains, time spent waiting for check-in, not to mention damage due to lifting the trailer on and off rail cars as well as damage during transit also contribute to the unattractiveness of the train mode of transportation.
What is needed is a streamlined terminal and method of loading and unloading railway cars and in particular the loading, unloading and transport of trailers via rail.
The above mentioned problems with intermodal transportation and terminal design are addressed by the present invention and will be understood by reading and studying the following specification.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a railway terminal includes a parking area, an access restriction system adjacent to the parking area and a railroad track adjacent to the parking area. The access restriction system limits access to said parking area. The railroad track includes a first section, a second section and a loading pad, wherein the first and the second sections each accommodate a plurality of intermodal railcars, each railcar designed to transport a truck trailer, wherein the first section is coupled to a main rail line. The loading pad links the first section of the railroad track to the second section of the railroad track. The loading pad is designed to support tractor-trailers.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a railway terminal for use with a main rail line includes an access restriction system, a parking area adjacent to the access restriction system, a railroad track adjacent to the parking area, and a run-around track substantially parallel to the railroad track, wherein the run-around track is coupled to the main rail line at both ends. The railroad track is split into a first section, a second section and a loading pad, wherein the first and second sections each accommodate a train having a plurality of intermodal railcars, where each railcar is designed to transport a truck trailer. The first section is coupled to a main rail line, wherein the loading pad links the first section of the railroad track to the second section of the railroad track and wherein the loading pad is designed to support fully loaded tractor-trailers; and
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a system and method for loading an intermodal train having a plurality of train sections, including a first and a second train section, is described. The intermodal train is positioned on a single track, wherein the single track includes a first section, a second section and a loading pad and wherein the first section is linked to the second section via the loading pad. The first train section is positioned on the first section of the single track. The first train section is separated from the train and the second train section is positioned on the second section of the single track. A first portable ramp is aligned, on the loading pad, with the first train section and a second portable ramp is aligned, on the loading pad, with the second train section. Selected trailers are loaded onto rail cars of the first train section via the first portable ramp. Selected trailers are loaded onto rail cars of the second train section via the second portable ramp. The trailers are secured onto the rail cars of the first and second sections of the train and the first section of the train is coupled with the second section of the train.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a system and method of unloading an intermodal train is described. The intermodal train is separated into a plurality of train sections. Each train section is placed adjacent to a loading pad. A hostler truck is driven onto the train via the loading pad. The hostler truck is coupled to a trailer and the trailer is taken off the train. The trailer is then parked in a transfer parking location.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, an intermodal transportation terminal includes an access restriction system that selectively restricts access to the intermodal transportation terminal, a parking area adjacent to the access restriction system, at least one railroad track adjacent to the parking area and a loading pad. The parking area accommodates a plurality of trailers and provides access to each trailer for pick-up and drop-off. The track includes a plurality of track sections, including a first and a second track section, and is coupled to a main rail line. The loading pad connects the first and second track sections. Trailers are moved across the loading pad when loaded on rail cars positioned on the first and second track sections.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, an intermodal transportation terminal includes an access restriction system, a parking area, first and second railroad tracks adjacent to the parking area and a loading pad. The first railroad track includes a plurality of track sections, including a first track section and a second track section. The second railroad track is substantially parallel to the first railroad track and includes a plurality of track sections, including a third track section and a fourth track section. The parking area includes a road to rail parking area and a rail to road parking area. The loading pad crosses the first and second railroad tracks and couples the first track section to the second track section and the third track section to the fourth track section. The first railroad track and the second railroad track are each coupled to a main rail line.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, an intermodal transportation terminal includes an access restriction system, at least one parking area adjacent to the access restriction system and at least one railroad track adjacent to the at least one parking, area, wherein each railroad track is coupled to a main rail line and wherein each railroad track includes a plurality of track sections, including a first track section, a second track section, a third track section and a fourth track section. The terminal also includes a first loading pad coupled between the first and second track sections and a second loading pad coupled between the second and a third track sections. In addition, a run around track runs substantially parallel to the at least one railroad track, wherein the run-around track is coupled to the main rail line.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, an intermodal transportation system includes a plurality of terminals, an intermodal train having a plurality of rail cars, wherein each rail car accommodates a trailer; and a truck, wherein the truck moves each trailer onto its respective rail car. Each terminal includes an access restriction system that selectively restricts access to the terminal, a parking area adjacent to the access restriction system, at least one railroad track adjacent to the parking area and a loading pad which interconnects the first and second track sections. The parking area accommodates a plurality of trailers and provides access to each trailer for pick-up and drop-off. The track includes a plurality of track sections, including a first and a second track section and is coupled to a main rail line. Trailers are moved across the loading pad when loaded on rail cars positioned on the first and second track sections.